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E3 2013 was the most controversial, competitive and downright crazy show we've seen in the recent history of gaming. The Xbox One went toe-to-toe with the PS4, and even though the two aren't even in stores yet, many are ready to declare a winner. New gaming IPs were launched while familiar brands were confirmed for the next generation. We also saw a slew of indie titles take the stage, and Google's Android enjoyed a growing presence on the show floor. Nintendo, leader of the pack turned underdog, opted out of a traditional press conference. It still revealed some great games from its core franchises, but now runs the risk of being trampled under all the new hardware announcements. And as always, PC gaming marched forward. Eye-popping graphics, slick hardware and inventive new titles littered the show floor. It was all at E3 this year, and we've rounded our top 7 moments. So go ahead, peruse our list, and tell us what you think was the best, or worst, moment of E3 2013.
The show started slowly, easing into gear with plugs for the PS Vita and current generation titles like The Last of Us. Then we got what we'd been waiting for, our first glimpse of the PS4. It was sleek, black, and other than a slightly asymmetrical design, not far from PlayStations past. Then Sony showed us something we'd never seen from it before: a price tag that beat Microsoft's. After saying that the PS4 would be $399/349 ($100 cheaper than the Xbox One) Sony got really nasty. Up came slide after slide of touting the PS4's lack of online requirement and support for used games. The crowd was practically on its feet and we could've sworn we saw a tear in the eye of Sony executive Jack Tretton. While this console war is only just beginning, the first battle has been won by the PS4.
We give the company kudos for sticking to the script, throwing some eye candy up in the form of heart-racing demos and a mouthwatering McLaren, and getting the conversation rolling on which console will reign supreme come holiday time. Consumers got a release month and a price as well, the two biggest unknowns about the Xbox One until last Monday. Microsoft may have stumbled on its "always on" and used game policy messaging, but at the end of the day gamers are going to have a mighty hard decision to make between the Xbox One and PS4.
The 1080p visuals were extremely impressive: We were totally immersed, able to sense depth of field and causing us to thirst after what could have fooled us for real snowflakes. Consumers should expect the same HD we experienced at E3 when the console is ready for sale. We also got to fiddle around with a demo developed by CCP Games, the same group behind EVE Online. While shooting lasers targeted by our VR glances was cool enough, the sense of space was so mind-boggling astounding, we tried to control our in-game avatar's arm movements with their real-world counterparts, though to no avail. Oculus Rift truly impressed us (again) and we think that the tech on this product is only starting to scratch the surface. There is much, much more to look forward to in the virtual reality space.
7. Celebrity sightings
We try to stay objective as possible when bringing you the latest from the world of tech, but even we get a little star struck from time to time. E3 was teeming with celebs, from TV host and funnyman Conan O'Brien toSouth Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone to director Guillermo Del Toro. That's not even touching on the high-profile people trotted out on stage during company press conferences, like Drake and Aaron Paul at EA's get-together. We spotted Conan riffing on Google Glass and caught a glimpse ofAmerica's Next Top Model winner Adrianne Curry yapping about PlanetSide 2. Sure the show is about games, the people that make them and the consoles that play them, but a little star power lends an extra layer of excitement that makes us just that much more excited to come back next year. You never know who you're gonna see, right?